ANOTHER CONTESTED RACE FOR BURTON CITY COUNCIL, PLUS INCUMBENT FILINGS FOR BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL & BURTON SCHOOL BOARD
A new slate of candidate filings for the May 3rd election includes incumbents for the Brenham City Council and Burton School Board, as well as the incumbent and a challenger for a seat on the Burton City Council.
Shannan Canales has filed for re-election to Ward 1 on the Brenham City Council. Canales, who has held the seat since 2021, joins the other three incumbents who have announced their candidacy in this election, including Ward 3 Councilmember Dr. Paul LaRoche III, At-Large Position 5 Councilmember Clint Kolby and At-Large Position 6 Councilmember Leah Cook.
On the Burton City Council, Berneake LaShelle Gantt has submitted an application for Position #4. The position is currently held by Paul McLaughlin, who has served on the council since 2020. It was announced at Tuesday’s council meeting that he has filed for re-election, meaning Position #4 will be a contested race.
Gantt is a graduate of Burton High School and a U.S. Army veteran who formerly served on the council in the early 1990s. She has served as a board member for the Burton Bridge Ministry and been involved in the Buffalo Soldiers mentorship group and with the Washington County and Burton Chambers of Commerce.
Elsewhere on the Burton City Council, sitting Position #3 Councilmember Jeff Eckhardt is challenging Mayor Karen Buck for her seat. Chuck Johnson is running against Position #1 incumbent Nathan Kalkhake.
The two incumbents up for election on the Burton School Board, Demetrius Colvin Sr. and Jeff Harmel, have both filed paperwork to run for new terms. Colvin has served on the board since 2001, while Harmel joined the board in 2017.
Friday is the final day to file for a place on the ballot. However, candidates for the Burton City Council will need to file by Thursday at 3 p.m., as Burton City Hall is closed on Fridays.